Spontaneous apoptosis in ovarian cancer: an unfavorable prognostic factor.
Apoptosis and cell proliferation play important roles in the cellular response to chemotherapy, and may have prognostic value. The percentage of apoptotic cells [apoptotic index (AI)] was evaluated in ovarian carcinomas of 25 patients by the terminal desoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-nick end labeling (TUNEL) technique. All patients were surgically treated and received postoperatively chemotherapy consisting of cytoxan and cisplatin or carboplatin. As a marker of proliferation the mRNA expression of histone H3 in tumor tissue was determined. In addition, tumor vascularity was assessed by immunohistochemistry and factor VIII. Patients with high AI had significantly shorter survival times (p=0. 0001) or recurrence-free intervals (p=0.004) than patients with low AI. No significant relationship was found between AI and histone H3 mRNA expression, however, an inverse correlation of AI with microvessel density was detected. Tumors with high AI had significantly lower microvessel count than tumors with low AI (p=0. 002). The obtained data suggest that AI can be predictive of treatment outcome in ovarian cancer.
Mattern
J
J
Department 0511, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, Heidelberg, D-69120, Germany.
Stammler
G
G
Koomagi
R
R
Wallwiener
D
D
Kaufmann
M
M
Volm
M
M
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D005260:Female; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006657:Histones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D016190:Carboplatin; D002945:Cisplatin